Man accused of rape pleads to lesser charge

Jan. 10, 2014

In this photo provided by the Nodaway County, Mo., Sheriff's Department is Matt Barnett. The 19-year-old, accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old schoolmate when he was 17, was charged Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014 with a misdemeanor child endangerment charge. He is scheduled to be arraigned later Thursday. (AP Photo/Nodaway County Sheriff's Department) / AP

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Associated Press

MARYVILLE — A Missouri man accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old schoolmate when he was 17 pleaded guilty Thursday to misdemeanor child endangerment — a far less serious crime than the rape charges the girl and her family had been pursuing.

Matt Barnett, wearing a blue shirt and tie, entered the plea during a court hearing in his hometown of Maryville, a college town about 85 miles north of Kansas City.

He was sentenced to two years of probation and a four-month suspended jail term.

He also can’t drink, go to bars or contact the teen, Daisy Coleman, or her family.

Jean Peters Baker, who was brought in as a special prosecutor to re-examine the case in October, said she had spoken to Daisy and her mother, Melinda Coleman, and that both were “satisfied” with her decision to press the child endangerment count.

The Colemans didn’t attend the hearing, but Baker circulated a news release from the family after the hearing.

“Today I am grateful that the defendant took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges. I am ready to move forward,” Daisy said.

In the same release, her mother said, “I hope that today’s resolution of this criminal case brings some closure for my family, especially my children, and for the community.”

The Associated Press generally doesn’t name alleged victims of sexual assault but is naming Daisy because she and her mother have granted public interviews.

Daisy alleged that Barnett raped her at a house party in January 2012, when he was a senior and she was a freshman at Maryville High School.